Generations apart, a Duke alumnus and student share a special connection
Anuk as an infant wearing his father Ganege’s maroon U.S. Army beret.
Anuk Dayaprema ’21 and Malcolm (“Mal”) Crawford ’52 will never meet, but they share a powerful Duke connection.
Mal enrolled at Duke University in 1948. His Duke education enriched the rest of his life and was foundational to a successful career. A loyal and generous Duke supporter, Mal established the Malcolm F. Crawford Scholarship Endowment in 2002 to support Duke students with financial need. Over the years, Mal also named this endowment as a beneficiary of his estate and life income gifts.
Anuk, the son of Sri Lankan immigrants, is the first person in his family to attend college. His parents, Ganege and Renuka, emigrated from Sri Lanka to California in 1996, seeking a brighter future. They enlisted in the U.S. Army and later became U.S. citizens.
In 2017, the Dayapremas’ dream was realized when Anuk was accepted to Duke University and awarded the Malcolm F. Crawford Endowed Scholarship. As he nears the end of his freshman year, Anuk understands the value of his educational opportunities and is grateful for Mal’s gift of financial aid as it paves a path for his own bright future.
Read about Anuk’s journey and Mal’s legacy in The Duke Difference article, “In Perpetuity: A Parents’ Sacrifice, an Endowed Scholarship and the Will to Learn.”
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